Policeman&#39;s club



April 27, 1954 P.- P. SCHULTZ PbLIcEMAN's CLUB Filed May 7, 1951 INVENTOR. @9 2 a BYZW Amen/5y Patented Apr. 27, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE POLICEMANS CLUB Peter P. Schultz, Tacoma, Wash. Application May 7, 1951, Serial No. 224,974

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to clubs such as are used by policemen.

The conventional polioemens club is round, made of wood and characterized by several disadvantageous features. Primary among these are the facts that it is cumbersome to carry, subject to fracture during use, and likely to inflict cuts and bone fractures upon those against whom it is used. Clubs of other types have been devised, but these have lacked popular acceptance partly for the foregoing reasons, and partly be cause they have been difficult to aim or direct, because they cannot be gripped or because they tend to come apart at critical periods during their use and application.

It therefore is a principal object of the present invention to provide a policemans club which is a highly effective weapon, but which may be used without danger of inflicting serious injury upon the subject being subdued.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a policemans club which is of substantial weight, but which is balanced properly for eiTective use.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a policemans club which is resilient and has a whip-like action, greatly increasing its effectiveness during use.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a resilient policemans club which is positive in action and which may be aimed or directed accurately.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a policemans club which may be gripped firmly and which may be carried comfortably in a pocket or elsewhere on the person.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished will be apparent from the following specification and claims, taken together with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the presently described policemans club, partly cut away better to show the construction; and

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation partly in section further to show the details of the internal construction of the club.

From the drawings it will be apparent that the policemans club of my invention comprises a substantially flat core strip of resilient material such as metal having aiiixed to one of its ends a heavy, substantially flat head. The afiixation means are such as to prevent the head from flying oii the core even when the club is used with considerable force. The shank portion of the core is padded, as by being wound with a plurality of layers of tape. The entire assembly is enclosed in a case made of heavy leather or other suitable material, which preferably is adhesiveiy united to the wrapping of the core. A looped handle for use in carrying and wielding the club is attached at the end opposite the head,

Considering the foregoing construction greater detail:

The core it of the club comprises a fiat elongated strip of resilient material, preferably steel. It extends substantially the length of the club and is of sufiicient width so that it will flex in one plane only. It thus imparts a Whip action to the club and at the same time gives it a positive action and permits aiming it accurately.

Attached to one end of the core is a weighted head #2 which preferably is made from a heavy metal such as lead. Where lead is used, it may be alloyed to advantage with another metal such as tin so that it is hard and durable. Like the core, the head is substantially fiat. It is somewhat thieker and wider than the core and is suflficiently long to afford an eifective striking area.

Suitable means are provided for attaching the head securely to the core. To this end, the core may be provided with a plurality of transverse projections such as pins Hi. It also may be provided with a plurality of marginal recesses or serrations it? at its head end.

The head then may conveniently be formed about the core by placing an end of the latter in a suitable mold into which a lead or lead alloy is poured and allowed to solidify. After removal from the mold, the head is rigid to the end of the core and remains so during the life of the club. This is an important feature affecting significantly the usefulness and operation of the club since when attached in this manner the head cannot fly off at an inconvenient moment, as in the case when no attaching means are provided, or when the outer casing, which is subject to rupture or to tearing of its stitching, is relied upon to hold the head in place. Also, since the head is substantially flat, serious injury to the subject is avoided.

The other end of the core ID, i. e. that opposite the head, provides a handle for the club. It preferably is padded in a suitable manner, as by being wound with a number of turns of tape l8. A suiiicient amount of padding is employed to protect the hand of the user and also to prevent the core strip from cutting through the case covering the club.

The club assembly is completed by a covering or sheath 20 which may be made of heavy leather or other suitable material. It is tightly stitched around the head and core and preferably is united. thereto by means of an adhesive. Thus the cover may be applied by cutting it to shape and size, applying an adhesive to its inner surface, wrapping it about the core and head of the club stretching it as tightly as possible and then stitching its meeting edges. When applied in this manner, the case remains firmly in place during the life of the club in spite of the bending to which it is continually subjected. As a result, even after a long period of use the case securely encloses the core and will not slip or twist, adversely affecting the operation of the implement.

The handle 22 also may be incorporated in the club assembly. This may assume any suitable size and shape, but preferably comprises a loop of material formed integrally with the case or attached thereto at its upper end.

It thus will be apparent that by the present invention I have provided a well balanced club having a positive, whip-like action which may be aimed accurately at the subject. Its flat construction prevents injury to the recipient of a blow and also permits carrying the implement concealed in the pocket comfortably and inconspicuously. Furthermore, because of the manner of attachment of the head and of the cover, the operation of the club is reliable and uniform over a long service life.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and. arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A club comprising a substantially flat, elongated core strip of resilient metal extending substantially the length of the club, the metal strip being substantially rigid in the direction of its lateral edges and flexible in the direction normal thereto, a substantially flat head of a heavy metal and means for attaching the head to one end of the core strip.

2. A club comprising a substantially flat, elongated core strip of resilient metal extending substantially the length of the club, the metal strip being substantially rigid in the direction of its lateral edges and flexible in the direction normal thereto, one end of the strip having thereon a plurality of projections, and a substantially flat weighted head enclosing said end of the strip and secured thereto by means of said projections.

3. A club comprising a substantially flat, elongated core strip of resilient metal extending substantially the length of the club, the metal strip being substantially rigid in the direction of its lateral edges and flexible in the direction normal thereto, one end of said core strip having at least one transversely disposed projection, a plurality of marginal serrations, and a substantially flat weighted head molded over said end and anchored thereto by means of said serrations and transverse projection.

4. A club comprising a substantially flat, elongated core strip of resilient metal extending substantially the length of the club, the metal strip being substantially rigid in the direction of its lateral edges and flexible in th direction normal thereto, a substantially flat weighted head, means for attaching the head to one end of the core strip, and a cover tightly enclosing the head and the core strip.

5. A club comprising a substantially flat, elongated core strip of resilient metal extending substantially the length of the club, the metal strip being substantially rigid in the direction of its lateral edges and flexible in the direction normal thereto, a substantially flat weighted head, means for attaching the head to one end of the core strip, and a cover adhesively united to the head and the core strip and tightly enclosing the same.

6. A club comprising a substantially flat, elongated core strip of resilient metal extending substantially the length of the club, the metal strip being substantially rigid in the direction of its lateral edges and flexible in the direction normal thereto, one end of the strip having a plurality of transversely extending projections, a substantially flat weighted head molded about said one end of the strip and anchored thereto by means of said projections, padding material enclosing the other end of said strip, and a cover of heavy durable material adhesively united to the head and the padding.

References Cited in the flle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 365,904 Bradish July 5, 1887 1,920,519 Morrissey Aug. 1, 1933 2,052,616 Gardes Sept. 1, 1936 2,391,782 Hutchison Dec. 25, 1945 2,458,920 Wheeler et a1 Jan. 11, 1949 

